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RESOLUTION R-1920-4: A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, ESTABLISHING THE NINE-ONE-ONE EMERGENCY TELEPHONE FEE RATE FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2020.
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BACKGROUND: The 9-1-1- Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG), in which the City of Norman is a participant, was officially created after voters approved a proposal for creation of a 9-1-1 system in elections held in March, April, and October of 1987. The proposal also provided for the addition of a service fee to each telephone subscriber’s basic telephone charge in order to finance installation and maintenance of the 9-1-1 system.
The service fee was initially set at 5% of the basic service for each customer. Collection of that fee began in January of 1989. In accordance with state law, this fee was reduced to 3% in January of 1990. In order to continue collection of the locally authorized service fee on telephone bills to pay for the 9-1-1 service, each local government must approve a resolution annually, setting the actual fee. ACOG recommends that the required resolution be received before June 1, 2018.
DISCUSSION: 9-1-1 ACOG assumes all responsibility for expenses involved with the operation of the 9-1-1 system, including purchase, installation, and upkeep of all required equipment and maintenance of the system by AT&T. Financing of the 9-1-1 system by ACOG and financial aid provided to participating local governments is made possible entirely through proceeds received from the 9-1-1 service charge added to the phone bills of subscribers in the covered areas. Fees collected by wireless and VoIP phone companies are established under a separate statute and are not covered by this resolution.
Funds received by the City of Norman through the 9-1-1 service fee have been instrumental in the acquisition of communications equipment essential to the efficient operation of the Emergency Communications Center as a 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Point and in reducing subsidies from the General Fund to offset emergency communications costs.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff requests that the necessary resolution be adopted to set the service fee at the 3% level recommended by 9-1-1 ACOG for 2018. This rate begins January 1, 2020.